Can't Escape It

This is a link to Penny Arcade Webcomic for June 12th 2009. It features a story idea of theirs called Automata.

Here is an excerpt of their thoughts on it:

Automata, nineteen-twenties crime fiction which unfolds in a time where "machine intellect" has been outlawed. It wasn't always, certainly, and the problem of what to do with the existing "stock" of fully sentient, mechanical citizens endures. Detective Regal and his stenophone Carl Swangee traverse the margin where these worlds overlap.

The comic itself shows Carl Swangee, a machine intellect, being hassled old school by cops. I could be wrong, but I believe one cop holds his truncheon up against Swangee's throat.

The comic upset and disturb me. Though it might very well be meant to. Oppression hurts. Seeing a representation of oppression hurts. Remembering the times one has faced similar acts of oppression, hurts.

I'm slowly going through Penny Arcade's back archive. I've had people mention the site to me off an on again for various reasons. The last was either their guild in Perfect World (a massive multi player online rpg) or their comic about racism in Resident Evil 5 (I liked the news entry better than the comic). Their back archive doesn't have me much believing I should look for them to handle issues well, should something like Automata move forward past an intriguing proposal/introduction. And I'm not sure I could bear to follow yet another 'The world is all white, and the oppressed aren't human'.

But it hit me, about how difficult it is to get away from certain things and how obvious people need things to be. Putting a truncheon up against an entity's throat is an easy visual of someone being a bigot and a bully. Putting a big sign saying 'No Heart, No Soul, No Service' is a big call back to 'No Irish' and 'No Dogs, No Chinese' and 'Whites Only'. Obvious, neon signs, like silhouettes and caricatures of a rigged and biased system. Meanwhile everyday, people live with the subtle, invasive and entrenched.

It reminds me a bit of depression and some people's views of it - if you're not bleeding, then there's nothing wrong with you.

In other news - I've got a bit on animation I lost heart with somewhere in the middle towards the end. I'm going to try and work on it more. And there are books out I want to point out. Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology is out. I first mentioned the book ages ago, I thought during the 1st, PoC in SF Carnival - but I can't find the reference now. Point is, it's out. And I have links to excited people. I need to get on that.

PS: Those who were curious about the teacher who held a Survivor like ordeal in her class and cast off the autistic 5 year old? She got her job back. 2009, remaining the year I just plain give up on humanity. It seemed so nice too. The inauguration in January was such a pick-me-up. And then, slow slip slide to triple, blood filled ugh. Including Obama.

Random Update (also Webcomics)

I've been messing with my links, trying to group things clearer and also make as neatly as possible some neon signs about what my space here is. Added some links yesterday to The Painted World; which lists some webcomics I follow.

And I'm thinking of doing a general review of Dominic Deegan: Oracle For Hire. Because I not only enjoy the comic, but slow me, it's just hit me that, because of the Orcs in the storyline, it'd be kind of topical now. :)

If you've got webcomics reccs of your own to share with me, please do. It's a nice way to recharge in the midst of Racefail-09. And I'm discovering that the world of webcomics is breathlessly broad. People tackle all sorts of things in all sorts of ways. I've been sucked into a couple slice of life types that if I'd seen them in a store, I'd never have picked them up at all.

I still want more digitally available comics. And I'd near stab someone for a full colour digital comics portable reader (I am not impressed with Kindle 2.0). But I could see myself spending the $20+ on webcomic trades quite easily. I'd know what I was getting for one thing, and these are stories I'd enjoy re-reading tremendously. I'm currently thinking of going back to 'First Page' for GOBLINS, just for the comfort rush.

ETA: My interests clarified

[PS: Thanks, Lurkerwithout, looking at your recc now. Two pages in and I'm very intrigued.]

Faces of Color: Webcomic MAGELLAN

aka, Willow attempts not to cut people.

This past week & weekend, I've had the chance to look over some pretty interesting webcomics. I think I may add a section where I just link to all the ones I'm reading. I'm being oddly comforted by them in the wake of well, Bendis NuMarvel and D-whatthefuckaretheydoingnow-C.

This Faces of Colour I'd like to point to a web comic called Magellan. First page here.

Magellan follows the life of a non superpowered young woman named Kaycee Jones who's going into her first year at what's basically Superhero College - Magellan Academy; which trains the heroes of tomorrow. So it's kind of like a female Batman going to 'Sky High'. The universe already has it's equivalent to Xavier's for those who don't want to go into superheroing as a career but would rather become police officers, doctors or even just accountants.

Kaycee's smart, and in tip-top physical condition. But she's having to deal with friends, fellow students and faculty members wondering if a non-powered individual can really cut it in the school. And most of all, she's having to deal with something of a 'Batman Effect' - as those same individuals wonder if the impetus that started her on the road towards becoming an official hero won't lead her instead down the path to vigilantism (which is phrased in this world as taking the law into one's own hands usually with bloody ends). Even as I cheered Kaycee on, I loved that she lives in a world where those sort of questions are asked. Where heroes need psychiatric evaluations. Where there's the knowledge that with great power, often comes the need for training and learned stress management skills.

Now, while I do not believe Kaycee's white; though British Descended Australians can get fairly tanned; Magellan still qualifies for Faces of Colour because of Kaycee's hero, the Aboriginal Australian - Go!Anna. Go!Anna's plot twists through Kaycee's for a goodly portion of the long arc, making her not just someone's inspiration in the world, but a current driving force of plot and exposition. I got two major heroines in one plot arc.

And if I don't discount Kaycee's first year class mates, who run the gambit in skin-tone, nationality and ability - I have several other heroines and heroes to follow as well.

But it's more than just seeing Superheroes of Colour, or an interracial couple where neither partner is white. It's seeing those characters with plausible motivations, male and female. It's seeing a world brought to life. It's seeing Superheroes based somewhere other than the USA. And it's seeing the ripple affect of all actions, those heated and those we think coldly calculated. Ripple affects are another thing I'm a sucker for.

I also love ensemble pieces. I love X-men because of the ensemble. I loved Buffy and Angel for the ensemble action. I love seeing teammates grow together, learn together and get closer. Magellan gave me all of that in it's archives. It's a very rich world, with a 'gathering of the new generation' vibe going on and wonderful nods to the old heroes and a broader universe. The first long arching plot is finished now and something new (a crossover with another web comic) has just begun; So there's plenty to read to get you hooked on this world.

Privilege and Passive Racism In My Comics

Remember this jackass? I mentioned him back in March; Tom Brazleton of Theater Hopper. Apparently he's since pulled that page down on his lj feed. He's the one that didn't see what the big deal was about black face in current movies.

Well it seems like he has a web comic twin or possibly a fan in racist stupidity; Chris Daily of Striptease.

I was enjoying Questionable Content as I ate and tried to feel better (a/c apparently tricks your brain into thinking you don't need water. But oh you so do otherwise you end up feeling like crap). Questionable Content had a guest artist today.

So apparently the iPhone's best possible anthropomorphization, the best personality in a comic strip for this phone is as a - what was that? Was that a rich black thug? Or a rich black thug, rapper/musician?

"Call me 3G" + lack of conjugation of the verb 'to be' + misogyny.

WHAT THE FUCK?!

WHAT THE FUCK, Chris Daily??? It's not enough that when checking the cast of your comic, we find the hypersexualized Asian female and the magical sexualized gay negro (who opened some white chick's eyes to 'possibilities') - Jezebel much? And the lone black male - one Tommy - holy shit did you even think about that name? Though I'm calling Tommy black based on his goatee and baldness. He might be meant to be white. There aren't any other real signifiers on the cast page.

It's not enough, Chris Daily, that you have stereotypes and token minorities in your strip. You have to go contaminate Questionable Content? You have an otherwise bright spot in my day be one more instance of OTHERING?

~*~
I actually like Questionable Content and its regular writer/artist. Yes it's basically like F.R.I.E.N.D.S only more interesting, with music instead of coffee and the city has actual people of colour. Granted the PoC's seem to be mostly East Indian or of East Indian Descent; a drummer, a forensic doctor. But they just are. There's no big deal made about them. They don't get very special strips.

And the women in the comic kick ass. As well as the handling of several major traumatic/psychological issues. It treats sex well. It treats relationships between women well - it so passes the Bendel test and then some.
~*~

But unholy living shit this guest comic is just so full of racist failure. It's not funny. It's not cutting edge. It's not savvy. And it sure as hell isn't satire - unless 3G, a product made by Apple, which is owned by rich white men is the technological slave for said white men - oh wait. That wouldn't really be satire would it.

And then there's Windslow, in a tie, getting to look down at the hip, new, uncouth bit of technology.

DIF, Chris Daily. Just die in fire already.

ETA: And damn you, Jeph Jacques for thinking it was actually funny and letting it get posted.

__

eta: Amir the drummer might be of ME Decent.

Got the name.